Chasing the Napa Valley Wine Train w/ the new KLW NZE15B 11/11/23

The time has come. On October 30th 2023 the Napa Valley wine train got the first of what is expected to be 4 new locomotives to replace the current fleet, this one being an NZE15B. Ever since the wine train got this new locomotive, they haven’t been running the old fleet as much as they used to. There have been rumors circulating that the FPA-4s would get drilled upon the arrival of the NZE15B, but the FPA-4s as with the rest of the old fleet will actually stay in (partial) service until the rest of the new fleet arrives. On Veterans Day weekend, me and RenoRailfan make a trip to Napa to see the wine train. We met another railfan that day, The Golden State Railfan, and we had a lot of fun chasing it up and down the line. Although I will miss the old fleet, I can tell that chasing the wine train with the future fleet will be fun. Locations and timestamps are below, enjoy the video!

0:00-0:03 intro

0:04-1:31 Vallejo Street Napa 11;36 am

1:32-2:41 pacing near Yountville 11;56 am

2:42-3:38 California drive Yountville 12;06 pm

3:39-4:33 Walnut ln Oakville 12;20 pm

4:34-5:27 Bella Oaks ln Rutherford 12;25 pm

5:28-6:05 Arriving Grgich Hills estate winery Rutherford 12;29 pm

6:06-6:39 Leaving Grgich Hills estate winery Rutherford 12;37 pm

6:40-7:37 hwy 29 crossing 12;40 pm

7:38-8:01 brief “pace” at Zinfandel lane 12;42 pm

8:02-10:59 switching at Fulton lane St Helena 12;54-1 pm

11:00-11:53 Arriving Grgich Hills estate winery Rutherford (again) 1;58 pm

11:54-12:38 Leaving Grgich Hills estate winery Rutherford (again) 2;11 pm

12:39-13:37 Manley lane Rutherford 2;15 pm

13:38-14:16 Dwyer rd Yountville 2;24 pm

14:17-14:40 Alongside hwy 29 Yountville 2;28 pm

14:41-15:36 Yountville station 2;31 pm

15:37-end outro